A riverbed in southern California lies empty as the region experiences record drought. (Getty Images)

The Sustainable Cities Institute at the National League of Cities, in partnership with Esri, will host a Resilience Leadership Workshop for communities in southern California. Climate change is a global issue, but its effects and implications are very different at the local level. Cities everywhere need to adapt to their own changing environment. For more than a decade, resilience has advanced rapidly as a movement in response to natural hazards and economic uncertainty. Today, civic data is being standardized, key metrics and indicators are tracking co-benefits, and mapping tools are visualizing information to enable city services to target neighborhoods and citizens with the greatest needs. The challenge now is to broaden the application of these tools and bring them into the mainstream.

Hosted at the Esri Headquarters in Redlands, Calif., from Sept 21-22, this workshop will explore the connections between community resilience, data, infrastructure, and economic development with a focus on making cities work better for people.

This event builds upon a successful workshop that was held last year for communities in the upper midwest, and is part of the NLC’s ongoing effort to bring national expertise directly to its members. It is being offered free of charge to ensure that cities large and small throughout the region will have every opportunity to participate.

What Makes This Workshop Different?

The one-and-a-half day workshop format is specifically designed to be collaborative, multi-disciplinary and productive. First, organizers will conduct pre-conference outreach to several participants to discuss their goals. Just by signing up, you’re already helping shape the agenda to meet your expectations. Whether your community is just starting out in resilience, or halfway through a multi-sector implementation checklist, we want to understand your priorities and help you take the next step.

Second, participants will all register as part of a City Team. Each City Team is simply required to include at least two members who are either elected officials or city staff. In addition to these two municipal representatives, teams may include additional city officials, local utilities, civic groups, military installations, and other non-municipal organizations that are critical partners in local resilience. Unlike other events where individual attendees sit and listen to talking heads, your team will have the opportunity to interact with experts, discuss regional strategies with other teams, and make meaningful commitments to one-another.

So spread the word, invite your colleagues, and come plan the next step in your community’s path to resilience. Click here to find out more and register your City Team today!